Groundbreaking at carbon neutral inverter factory
16-APR-2008
Inverter manufacturer SMA has broken ground on a new inverter factory in Kassel-Salzmannshausen, Germany that will run on a carbon neutral basis through the use of CHP and renewables.
The new factory, scheduled for completion in the autumn of 2008, covers approximately 25,000 square meters.
The low-energy building will include a 1.1 MW building-integrated photovoltaic system and the use of biogas from a regional biogas plant. SMA also produces electricity and heat using two gas-powered combined heat and power plants. An absorption chiller uses the waste heat of the CHP plants for cooling in the summer while in winter and during transitional periods, the process waste heat is in turn used to for space heating.
In addition, both natural ventilation systems as well as lighting systems that incorporate natural and artificial lighting are used.
The plant will triple the company's current production capacity.
SMA CEO Günther Cramer commented: 'With our new production building, we are once again significantly optimizing our manufacturing processes and also setting new standards in the energy efficiency of industrial buildings. In addition, the capacity expansion measures will also aim at the creation of approximately 1000 new jobs.'
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